IE 6 on XP will not launch external apps

[sleipnir214]

A coworker is trying to publish some information on a CD, and trying to use IE 6 and HTML files as the presentation manager of the data. The CD contains content in the form of HTML files, Word documents, PDFs, etc.

If you click on a link which points to a file that requires the launching of an external application to view, the link simply does not work -- IE does nothing. If the content is dumped to the hard drive, it all does work.

This same CD works, without dumping to the hard-drive, on Windows98 running IE 6.

I'm guessing this must be some kind of security setting for IE on XP. Any advice?

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TANSTAAFL!!

 

[TekKnowGeek]

OK.
1. Make sure the external application is allowed to run within the security settings of IE. Programs like Adobe PDF viewer use third party plug-ins when launched from within a browser. Your security settings for the browser are probably not allowing these plug-ins to run.
Resolution: Tools -> Internet Options -> Security -> Internet.


Life is a journey to death

 

[bcastner]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303650

 

[bcastner]

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=232077

 

[bcastner]

Note as well: if you are using Norton Antivirus, the 1-7-2004 update killed the file associations for Office Applications.

You need to go to the Symantec site for a fix.

 

[bcastner]

sleipnir214,

It might be worthwhile looking at self-contained browser/html software. There are freeware and modestly priced packages to let you create a stand-alone HTML sort of demo or display package.

You might also want to look at alternatives to IE as the engine. There are several "tiny" footprint and self-contained browsers, most freeware, that would let you run this thing from a CD-R as a stand-alone.

The core issue is the links to other applications. One concern is that you have no idea ahead of time if the underlying application exists on any given workstation. The more that you can reduce the dependence on external applications, converting everything to HTML for example, the better off you will be.